The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-23
GOOD STORIES or TINE PRESENT DAB.

GOOD h1VhtkS1 Ob 1hR fdHS1HE OATs
"It 10 the statement Of convict and
should therefore DO taken with many grains Of
Allowance
You will and the above paragraph at the tail
end OF every charge made by discharged con-
Wet against tho prison management. It 10 as
mucn 40 to soy that there may be one grain OF
truth to ninety nine grains OF malice and falso-
hood. And yet I ask you who should know tho
inside OF prison better than prisoner. II
there In cruelty. It 10 practised upon him. II
there IL fraud. he IA generally tho sufferer.
There 10 no moro Justice In accuslne him OF
malice or falsehood in his statements than
there 10 Of accusing farmer who has griev-
ance against o neighbour. Tho man who IL
Justly sent to prison bears no malice against
the institution or its officers. The prisoner
who is treated as the law dirocts-who finds
honest officials about him. who gets what the
law says ho shall receive, who secs no fav-
oritism practisoi. leaves with tho kindliest
feelings toward the entire corps OF ofiicers.
have been State prison convict. admit
II without blush. because the records prove
that was innocent Of the crime was SEN
fenced for and because was humbly apollo
dzed to in public and indemniHed In o nnan-
eial WAY II there Is an inducement for con-
v,o. whose guilt was conclusive to falsify on
cominp forth, there can certainly be none for
me. It was case OF mistaken identity, coupled
With M ignorance OF the law, which sent me
10 prison in one OF the Middle, States for the
term Of three years. was told how much
.eood time" could gain by industry and re-
snectful department. and I entered the place
determined to gain every hour possible. 1 was
a country boy without vices. did not swear.
drink. smoke, or chew, nor could any human
being Justly charge me with any offence against
tho law. had been brought UP by religious
parents, and It may be Inferred that knew
what belonged to good manners. It would
therefore seem an easy undertaking for me to
obey all the prison rulcs. and stand well In the
estimation of the officials.
was delivered over to the warden by the
officer, the usual receipt taken. and then was
registered and enrolled. During this proceed
Ing coughed Violently several times, having
contracted severe cold In the jail. where I
had lain for seventy days. This seemed to
greatly annoy the Warden. and presently he
called out at me-:
"Ahi you id horse thief. you are pre-
pairing to play the consumptive trick, arc your
II you cough like that again. I'll have you
logged"
Ihad to cough again. couldn't have avoided
II II he had stood with n knife pointed at my
heart. The brute took stop forward and gave
mo a hearty slap on the mouth. and said to tho
two mon in the office:
Boys, you want to keep lookout on this
cussed rascall Hos come here determined to
run this prison. and On occasional dressing
down will be tho salve for his burns"
had to cough again before they got through
with the register. and on this occasion both
the turkeys kicked me. When vas led away
after ri T ssa to your case young man, You may
f IN yoS sha yoa
am satisfied that the. Warden's action In
this case was an exception. although knew
she dri srriSal fhs law Of that State does not
say that a common prisoner shall be put into
on or his u s5y Was s
horse thief" looked upon with contempt by
the majority Of prisoners. but the Warden Or
for two weeks. This was q mattor OF astonish-
ment to all tho prisoners who knew Of the cir.
sad 81 ne ioransh beought out
sent to the harness shop Whom I was regis
my Worksa q Sons sha
tools. The harness shop was run by a
pressns %tS reScsers land One them
appeared to be akind- hearted man with 2 full III
70
and tyrannize and he made the most of them.
The foreman Of the shop set me to work cut
. Sss Ssrs Fiji seced s s terrs
bsns U6 w ~ Ssr xu seE
ssf bS Sss se%s ksrs to play ia gentleman. you
looked up. but made no reply. While I
iataistys!y realized that prisoner had no right
III was the foreman I'd report your cusssd
cbstipaey and have you taken !,.r down WI and
tSs use Of JIM
the other guard. Give the boy chance to
turn round nd won't yor 1dmnd soon erou.h d-n
did my work to the satisfaction Of tho FORE
prisoner Because q the fact a that he was
and. 10 was willing to give me chance. |
spoiled no material. and when night came ne
quietly ,complimented me, and added that We
Saa bssn NO Snjostly sentenaed but replied
that purposed being diiiEent and faithful
Sfisera S for Week. t the end oi that time
break was made by two Of the prisoners in my
ors ssh 1 doaSe there sr
corridor holding 100 prisoners. One Of the
men worked In the shoe department. and
made false key. and provided Themselves
with o rope. and they came within an ace OF
getting clear. y was about the time the in
spection. ard this bold stroke for liberty en-
ragged the warden. As tod ron. only two men en-
marched In to supper. and from thence to our
yard. With their key they opened the door Of
sstore house, and from its roof they calculated
on throwing their rope over the wall. That
they were not missed at the supper table was O
piece OF gross carelessness on the part OF the
guards. but their absence was not detected
until We marched to our cells. Then great
hue and cry was raised. and in the course Of
half an hour they were found and brought In.
The law Of the, State forbids corporal punish.
ment except. the convict refuses TO obey the
rules or strikes an officer. The only punish;
ment for attempted escape Is forfeiture Of
good time" The Warden took 1t into his
head that o general revolt was Imminent, or
that there was . conspiracy. and all that night
Prisoners conspire when there Is to be re-
volt. because they must have the strength. but
It Is very rare that q plan or plot to escape In
cludes more than two men. Ninety-fve per
cent. Of the escapes include only one convict.
Secrecy is tho thing desired. and few conyicts
trust each other Common sense would have
taught the Warden that only the two men were
IN the plan TO escape; but he insisted on pull